In the furniture art, there are two factors which are of primary importance when attaching structural elements or members together to form articles of furniture. First, every element of a connection joint must have sufficient strength to securely fasten the members together and support the loads applied to the joint and, second, the connection should be aesthetically pleasing in appearance. One of the most difficult connections to make, both as to strength and aesthetics, is connecting two metal elements together, particularly when they are used to form table or shelving frames which utilize a separate transparent top or shelf made of a substance such as glass. For example, when a glass top is used for a table, every connection normally can be seen; therefore, it is of utmost importance that the connections be aesthetically pleasing to the eye. In the past, it has been necessary to weld these metal elements together in order to get a strong joint and the appropriate aesthetic appearance.
One problem with having to weld a furniture article is having to ship it in an assembled condition. As can be easily understood, shipping a frame in an assembled state results in an enormous waste of shipping and storage space. Thus, it is important to the furniture manufacturer as well as the retailer and the ultimate consumer that the furniture be designed to be disassmebled for shipment and storage in order to reduce the cost of the item.
Welding is also expensive and requires a great deal of expertise to obtain a weld joint that is strong and not discolored.